Bhubaneswar: The Government of India continues to strengthen financial support for small entrepreneurs through the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), which provides collateral-free loans of up to ₹20 lakh to micro and small enterprises across the country. Launched in 2015, the scheme aims to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment by enabling easy access to institutional credit…
Bhubaneswar: State governments across India have stepped up enforcement measures to curb black marketing and hoarding of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with authorities carrying out continuous raids and surprise inspections at LPG distributorships and retail outlets. According to Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, state administrations are playing a…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to expand its Rice ATM initiative to four more districts following the success of its pilot project in Bhubaneswar. The move is aimed at strengthening the Public Distribution System (PDS) and making the distribution of subsidised food grains more convenient for beneficiaries. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna…
Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate has launched a new traffic initiative titled ‘Left Zone Free’ in Bhubaneswar to ensure faster movement of ambulances and other emergency vehicles through the city’s busy roads. The campaign was rolled out at 40 traffic posts across the capital, where motorists are being urged to keep the left lane clear at…
Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha has intensified preparations to tackle the upcoming summer heatwave, announcing a series of preventive measures across the state. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari has directed the state’s Energy Department to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply during peak summer, stressing that power cuts must be avoided as temperatures begin to…
Bhubaneswar: Hotels and restaurants across Odisha have raised alarm over a growing shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, warning that kitchens could soon face operational disruptions if supplies are not restored quickly. The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) has urged Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, to intervene…
Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved the renaming of Kalahandi University at Bhawanipatna as Maa Manikeshwari University, named after the presiding deity of Kalahandi district. The approval, which had been pending since 2023, clears a major administrative hurdle that had left students facing difficulties in receiving proper certificates for nearly five years. With…
Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to replace temporary traffic sheds across the city with permanent structures this summer, citing safety concerns during storms and extreme weather. The decision was taken during a summer preparedness review meeting chaired by Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das. Officials noted that many of the existing temporary sheds used…
Bhubaneswar: The Fit India Carnival 2026 will be organised in Puri from March 15 to 17, bringing together sports enthusiasts, fitness advocates and families for a three-day celebration of health and active living. The event is being jointly organised by the Sports Authority of India and the Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department under the…
Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced stringent penalties for sanitation agencies to enforce timely waste clearance and improve urban cleanliness. Under the new directive, agencies will be fined ₹3,000 per instance per ward if waste is not cleared from streets by 9 am. Authorities have mandated that all garbage heaps must be lifted…